1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to cleaner devices and related equipment for use in cleaning swimming pools and the like. More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in a vacuum hose used for drawing water under a negative pressure from a manually operated pool cleaner device to a water filtration system. Improvements relate to enhancement in the view of the operator on debris at the bottom of the swimming pool during cleaning operation.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Manually operated pool cleaner devices in general are well known in the art to assist in maintaining the cleanliness of a swimming pool or the like. Such manually operated cleaning devices are typically coupled to a filtration system with an elongated flexible hose. An operator maneuvers the cleaner device over debris and throughout the pool as required to clean the pool floor. A vacuum nozzle, brushes within the vacuum nozzle and a pole are commonly included on the cleaner device that functions to dislodge dirt and debris within the swimming pool for collection inside the cleaner device, hose and to the filtration system.
A pool cleaning device of the above-described type couples to an elongated flexible cleaner hose that draws water under a negative pressure from the swimming pool to the inlet of the pool filtration system. Such cleaner hoses are typically constructed from lightweight and preferably inexpensive plastic material that will naturally float in water. Such cleaner hoses will float near the surface of the water because the plastic material is lighter than water. A moving hose that floats will cause disturbance of the water surface with ripples when operated during the process of cleaning the pool. The rippling water blurs the vision of the debris at the bottom of the pool making it difficult for the operator to see and target debris thus increasing the time to clean the pool floor.
In-the-pool cleaner devices such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,339 are typically installed in the swimming pool and include a water powered means for travel in a random fashion throughout the pool. Water jets are commonly included on the in-the-pool devices and function to dislodge and suspend dirt for collection by circulation in a conventional swimming pool filtration system. The in-the-pool devices are not effective and consume much energy in cleaning. These devices travel throughout the pool in a random fashion with no intelligence as to where the debris may lie. These in-the-pool cleaner devices will repeatedly clean the same area while requiring extended filtration time and energy. Such in-the-pool cleaner devices can not travel around corners, sides and upright obstacles thus requiring the use of the manually operated pool cleaner device intermittently. Furthermore, these in-the-pool cleaners will dirty the swimming pool water with the debris for circulation and indirectly into the pool filtration system. Small particles of debris will not enter the filtration system directly and remain suspended in the pool water for a while.